50 Desoto at auction saturday

[1just4don]

Was reading the paper last night,,,ran across an ad for upcoming auction this saturday. In small print along with other collectable vehicles and tractors it says 1950 Desoto Custom flat head 6 all original very good condition.

This is in a smaller town than a 'blink' town and doesnt qualify for THAT cause its a mile off the highway!! A hardware store close out. I doubt 25-30 people live in the whole town!! Also the feature vehicle is a 26 IHC 1 Ton truck 4 cyl. w/ a stake box, restored,parade ready. Now YOU know everything I know,,,and that aint much,,,either way you look at that!!!

[BobT-47P15]

Sounds as if you oughta attend.....might get a steal on the Desoto.

[1just4don]

Just wondering what range of price one would think this might be worth??? My guess from limited info given leads me to believe the car 'runs' but might be a drag your foot to stop deal. IF it was shedded it means mostly surface rust,,,and if only driven to church on Sunday and NOT to the bar fights on sat nite it may be somewhat straight. Or a few dings and dents someplace!! Chances are slim and none it has a recent or even GOOD paint job.

SO YOUR opinion of its value as a running car that needs work to resemble any of your NEAT nice cars???

[1just4don]

Just found these pics on the auctioneers site. One sweet ride,,,looks good in the pics any way!! Check out that restored truck in there too. Wonder how they kept these so nice??? Must have never ever gone to church,,,even on Sunday!! Or maybe not on a rainy day even. Looks like the car wasnt driven in ice and snow with salt on the road,,,we will see Saturday!!

http://www.edhuwaldt.com/resources/GalvinPictures.html

Dont care for the four doors too well,,but I have driven those before!! never had a Desoto,,,always had Plymouths and Dodges

NOW what do ya think its worth,,,in a range even???

[eric wissing]

Don, thanks for the heads up!! I will be there to bid on it!. Just kidding. McLean is in Plainview and I am drawn like a Magnet to it. You can never tell what it will bring. If it is going to low the auctioneer will beg and beg. If there are family members there they might really run it up or have a reserve set with the auctioneer. Then again , maybe a real bargain. (Being a skeptic, I doubt it)

[1just4don]

What I was most appalled with is this is advertised SOOOO poorly. NO pics of the truck or car,,,very small print ad, and first time I saw the ad sooo I am guessing the family or whoever gets proceeds are VERY scotch on spending advertising money.

There are ALOT of VERY OLD collectable hardware there not ever been used!! Like one of those statioary gas engines--never used,,,Ice tongs, never used,,,,,screw and bumper jacks,some new!! single and double trees,some new,,,gas irons,,,roll top desks, Par-A -Keet paint can, horse bits,,, Who the heck kept all this stuff this long??? It would be different if somebody collected them,,,NOT the case here. This store must have closed down MANY years ago and left everything inside like a time warp.

I am pretty darn old and I never knew they had a hardware store there. Used to go buy beer in that town at the dinky tavern....when I was underage,,,if you were old enough to walk in you could buy it there!!! Another up the road too,,,Belden was same way!!

[BobT-47P15]

Poor advertising might equal small crowd with less bidders, who might not be all so interested in the car. Worth a shot i'd say. 2500 to 5500 maybe on the car.....looks pretty nice. Might just be able to hop in and drive it home, ya know. Just depends on what you might want to spend.

I've found 3 old Mopars around here, none of which are ready to drive without some work. Asking prices from 1800 for a Plym coupe with the motor removed to maybe 3500 for a 51 Chrysler that won't start. I made an offer of less on the Chrysler, but so far no phone call from the owner. Guess I should stop holding my breath now. I was hoping to find something running with a reasonable price tag to use for a spare vehicle to replace my 79 Toyota. Of course, I don't really need another project since still need to do things, like the interior, on my Plymouth.

[1just4don]

I was in the area picking up parts anyway and swung over to beautiful downtown McClean(main street is 3 buildings long,,,all vacant now, one side of the street)

Anyway the car is 'fabulous'. The worst feature was the perfect paint job was 'scratched' deeply like barb wire or other deep scratches on the top of 3 fenders. can a guy touch up such blems?? Without looking like a patch job?? Otherwise the paint is next to perfect and loks great. Auctioneer thought it was original paint,,,I think it was repainted a long time ago.

Absolutely no rust except for the engine is a bit rusty looking. I dont think it was ever driven on salt,period. Solidest body I ever saw on a non restored car. Worn window frames tho.

Mileage said 19500 or so. Think it has to be 119500. Oil change stickers on door frame says it had 117500 or so in 1965. So driven less than 2000 miles in the last 42 years!!

And guess what,,,absolutely zero brakes!! NO pedal at all. It was last licensed in 2001 so must have rusted out brakes in garage!!

The keys were there but I didnt have the heart to start it. ANd the people who were watching it were 1/4 mile away!! So couldnt ask very well.

Doors fit perfect,,no sag,, I never had one of these that way!! handles were even tight. Had visor, radio and clock. Oh other defect was drivers side wing window had the screw off of it,,,it was laying under the carpet by the dimmer switch.

other thing was carpet was original and it is starting to shred and fall apart from old age. Do they make replacements correctly for those???,,,it is deep marroon color.???Whole outside of car is that grey color,,, has great shine to it!! Other slight defect is somebody 'bumped' the front bumper and is very slightly distorted at passenger bumper horn!! barely bent,but you can see it!! Trunk mat is sorta shrunk but all there. Spare, AND jack mounted where supposed to be and a full quart of Phillips 66 oil in an old metal oil can!!(slightly dinged and greatly scratched!!!) Church key opener required!!

I tried to lift carpet as carefully as possible drivers side floor to see condition,,,The paint still looked new under there and ZERO rust. Steering wheel was cracked and yellowed a bit but very functional. As I said the worst looking things on the whole car is the window frames painted solid grey and well worn from arm resting and 2 -60 air conditioning!! Chrome all there,bright and perfect!! The lady said it was a very EASY car to wash,,,so it must NOT have been very dirty!!

I am SURE they will run the car tommorrow for the auction. I always thought Desotos were supposed to be 'fancier' than Dodges??? This seems to be a Plain Jane model then,,,I have seen Dodges decked out fancier than this,,,but condition of most everything is excellent. Any further ideas of what she will bring??? Oh the elderly couple (he is in the nursing home)they are selling the car for and all his hardware store left overs,,,,,, courted in THAT car!!! My guess is a one-owner!!

[eric wissing]

Don, Have you been to any auctions near Osmond? Donovan Schmidt will be there. They do not put many pics in the papers anymore. They know most people have computers. Hard to tell who will show up for the car but I bet there will be a large crowd for the store's contents. I used to go way out there for auctions but rarely did I find any bargains unless there were 4 auctions in the area on the same day.I used to take a pickup load of stuff to Osmond to be sold at auction. I always made out well. Are you real interested in the car? Eric

[1just4don]

Eric,

I was thinking this would make me a daily driver. I dont presently have a 'car'. Something I can drive to church,,,and maybe take somebody to the 'drive-in' movie with!! I still want to get my grandpa's car running again,,,just because.

I was talking to my oldest daughter last night,,,she is in the hospital right now with pnuemonia. She said her husband is probably going to order one of those 2009 "Concept Camaros". I said I never heard of same. She said google it,,,wow,,, I had a brand new hugger orange 69 Z-28 so I think they are pretty cool. Maybe at my old age I better stick with Desotos tho!!

[thedahmer]

so what did it sell for??

[1just4don]

I ran her up to $3500 and felt NO weakness in the other bidder. He was an older gentleman AND I got the sense he may have been family to this guy OR very close friend and had ALOT of sentimental value wrapped up in it. Felt like I probably 'couldnt' have bought it for $13,500,,but didnt want to find out the hard way.

other problem is brakes were zero and it was anounced and sold THAT way. How much to get them back in shape, dunno,,,but would have been fun trying it. Looked like the complete change over to dot 5 was in order with all new cylinders including master!! Thats what I would have done anyway!!

havent confirmed the family or close friend deal YET,,,but plan on it!!! HOPE it stayed in the family!! Selling couple didnt have ANY children I found out but tons of great neices and nephews!!! I did get a good lead on a 49 Chrsyler tho from another guy!! He said it was every bit as good as this one,,,but family has a way of stretching things a bit also!!